Life is busy.  There are tons of things going on.

All the time.

For as many things there are to do, there are exactly as many choices to make.  The choice to do or not to do.

Our choices usually fall into a few broad categories.  Low-hanging fruit.  High hanging fruit.  The matters in the low-hanging fruit category are the quick, easy matters that require little time and usually have a short-term “feel good”.  High-hanging fruit are those matters in life that take more effort, require more time and are usually most rewarding giving us a “feel good” that lasts.

Most of us go through life spending our time picking low-hanging fruit.  We love to clear the branches.  We feel like we’ve accomplished something.

At the same time, the high-hanging fruit becomes neglected and the opportunity seems to slip away.

Living for the weekend would be low-hanging fruit.  Doing just enough in life to get by is low-hanging fruit.  Investing in superficial relationships.  Talking only about the weather sports and your job.  Existing in a marriage rather than engaging in a marriage.  Meeting physical needs and basic necessities of life.  The path of least-resistance.  Living for personal happiness.  All low-hanging fruit.  We use the filter question of “What’s in it for me?” to help us decide which of the remaining low-hanging fruit we can consume.

A life-giving relationship with the Living God would be high-hanging fruit.  It requires intentional effort that places the highest value on making our life about Him and not us.  The beauty of this posture towards life is that by making God the source of our happiness and sense of fulfillment, we find that the low-hanging fruit in our lives becomes less appealing and less fulfilling.

We also begin to seek intentional relationships with other people that are more centered on “What’s in it for them?” rather than “What’s in it for me?”  And suddenly God gives our life even more meaning and fulfillment, because we find that we are allowing Him to work in us and through us to make a difference in the lives of other people.

Loving God.  Loving people.  These are the two primary ways that we experience a life that is full of high-hanging fruit.  Fruit that is more fulfilling and more life-giving.

If you are going through the motions of life picking low-hanging fruit by the boatload, I want to encourage you.  Stop trying to make yourself happy.  Stop depending on other people to make you happy.

The Living God invites you to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8).  He wants you to connect to the Vine of Life.  Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:4,5).

You won’t find meaning in life outside of a relationship with Jesus.  It’s up to you.  Go after the high-hanging fruit.  It’s not out of reach.  It’s available to everyone.  Connect to the Vine that gives life.